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Doozy of a graphics card problem

ecoscientist

Posted 12 June 2005 - 05:06 AM

ecoscientist

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I bought an Asus Ati Radeon 9250 graphics card to replace my antiquated Voodoo Banshee but I have run into installation problems. (I know the 9250 is a terrible card but it was better than what I had and it was all I could afford at the time, and it came with DVI and S-Video). I initially bought a Sapphire 9250 but the drivers wouldn't install so I downloaded the latest drivers from Sapphire and still did not work. I uninstalled the Banshee and its drivers until I had a blank screen at startup requiring me to press F8 to get the last boot which worked. So yes, as far as I know, I uninstalled previous drivers. After a couple of days of frustration and reading about similar problems in forums I returned my Sapphire for a Gigabyte 9250. I did the same again but instead of allowing a bootup, Windows wouldn't start up. I then got an Asus A9250 (because it was the same make as my motherboard) so I figured all would be ok. But no, the same problem as the Gigabyte. I now know that after XP loads the screen goes black but when I push the mouse around while clicking I can hear the jingling sound of XP opening. I have installed a PCI graphics card (as well as having my Asus AGP installed) so I can see what I am doing, such as installing ATI drivers, but it seems the drivers cannot see my Asus graphics card installed in the AGP. I have downloaded the latest drivers for my graphics card, and I have installed the latest drivers for the VIA chipset located in my motherboard but still no go. I have flashed the latest bios into my motherboard but still no go. I have emailed Asus with the problem and the tech says that the mobo should take the graphics card. I have had the graphics card and mobo checked and they found no problem. They couldn't identify any physical problem but said that perhaps my motherboard will not accept a 64bit graphics card. My manual says my PCI takes 32 bit, but my AGP, which says AGP PRO, indicates it will take AGP 2X and 4X and the latest update from VIA states I have installed AGP (3) . The Asus graphics card is 4X and 8X compatible. I have done much more in the three weeks since I bought the Sapphire help: but it still will not go. I have thought about a new mobo but that would mean a new install of Windows and I have spent weeks downloading every latest driver on a 56k modem and have programs which would take me an eternity to get back to where I am now. The only things I have to show for the last few weeks is a deep understanding of chaos, an angry wife, a neglected child and hair loss.

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austin_o

Posted 14 June 2005 - 06:37 AM

austin_o

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Hi ecoscientist. Welcome to Geeks to Go. Man, you have been through the wringer on this. Do you still have your original graphics card? Was it working ok before you started on this? If so, put it back in and see if you have graphics. Then, you can do some clean up and try again. I understand you also have a PCI graphics card installed? If so, take that out too. Go out to http://www.drivercleaner.net/ and get Driver Cleaner (it is free). Then, check to make sure you have the latest driver for the new graphics card (Asus). If you can get the old graphics card working, see if you can get into the bios and check your settings. Make sure the AGP video is enabled. Then, boot up in normal mode, go to add/remove programs and remove the driver for the currently installed video card (Voodoo Banshee) and any other video card that you tried during this endeavor (Gigabyte, Asus and what ever else). Then boot into safe mode and run Driver Cleaner. Set it up to look for these various drivers. Run it TWICE for each one, and delete all that it finds. Then shut down, install the new Asus video card. Then re-boot and install the newest driver for the new card.

ecoscientist

Posted 14 June 2005 - 10:06 PM

ecoscientist

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Thanks for your help Austin. I have installed Drivercleaner and I did uninstall 3DFX drivers. When I uninstall the PCI card and set the Bios to run through AGP all I get is a black screen. However when I run the mouse around and left click frantically, I can hear windows open. Then I get the blip error message that the ATI software (not the driver- the additional stuff) couldn't find my graphics card (the reason I know this is the same happens when I run through PCI card). The Asus card has s-video and the same screen comes up on the tele. As to the 3DFX, I am pretty sure it won't work because Drivercleaner took out the drivers from windows sys32, but I will try in a minute. As to getting in safe mode, well I can't. When I press F8 to go to safe mode, windows comes back saying there were hardware changes and windows can only open normally. However when I do this the screen goes black and I'm back to square one. I then have to reinstall the PCI card and get windows to go back to the last good boot. In regards to the Asus driver, the driver won't install. I get this message.
'Cannot install this hardware.
There was a problem installing this hardware.
Asus 9250 Series Secondary
An error occurred during the installation of this device.
Access is denied.'
Now, through my vast research in recent weeks for my cheap graphics card, I have found that 'access is denied' often refers to a registry issue associated with XP Service Pack 2. Any ideas?

ecoscientist

Posted 15 June 2005 - 12:44 AM

ecoscientist

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Austin, I guess I am more worried that if I delete all the drivers to cards that work, then I may have no computer that works at all. If it is a registry issue then nothing I do with other parts will make this card work. Do you know anything about the security enhancements in XP Security Pack 2 and what Microsoft did to the registry through it? Thanks mate.

austin_o

Posted 15 June 2005 - 06:59 AM

austin_o

Retired Staff

Retired Staff

2,089 posts

Ok, lets see if I understand, you have video only when the PCI card is in. The original card you had, the antiquated Voodoo Banshee, was it an AGP card and was it working before you started this upgrade? When you boot up with the PCI video, when you go to device manager, do you see the Asus at all? Does it have yellow ! next to it? If you enable AGP in the bios and leave the PCI in, I would expect a conflict. What I was hoping you could do if the orignal card was working was go back to the beginning, clean everything up and start over. If it does not work, you can always go back to the PCI which you said is working. Leaving multiple video drivers installed can cause problems as you can see.

Unable to install the hardware error? Do you have admin privileges on the computer?

ecoscientist

Posted 16 June 2005 - 12:29 AM

ecoscientist

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Yes I have the Asus card in the Device Manager section however there are two (one says Video Controller and the other says Video Controller VGA Compatible) and of course the SIS (PCI) above it. So I have three cards under Display Adapters. The Asus controllers are both red at the moment but when I enable them they turn yellow, but when it goes to install the software, I get the 'access is denied' message. Then there is the message that the card will not work properly. The 3DFX was AGP and the SIS is in the PCI (slot 2) - and yes, it is shared with the AGP according to the mobo book. Interestingly, when I look at the card through Display properties it says SIS 6326 AGP. Getting back to the PCI slots, when I had the 3DFX card in I put the PCI in a different PCI slot and the same thing happened when I tried to put the ATI driver in -'Access is denied'. I haven't had time to reinstall the 3DFX but will tonight after watching Team America. How do I know if I have admin priveleges?

ecoscientist

Posted 18 June 2005 - 02:24 AM

ecoscientist

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Austin,
I'm at a friends computer for the reason that the latest windows update has buggered my computer at restart. It is an owned and registered version. At startup the computer cannot start and says it cannot find System and wants me to put XP disc back in for a repair. Will get back to you when I get my computer back.

ecoscientist

Posted 20 June 2005 - 04:11 AM

ecoscientist

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Austin,
Thanks to Microsoft I have had to reinstall my operating system from scratch. Something happened with the latest update. I now have a working graphics card and the system looks great. DVD and game play will be much better now.
Austin, I want to thank you for helping me. You were right about old drivers being the problem. This world is sadly being filled with people who couldn't give a toss about someone else. I am so greatful you aren't one of them.